How strong is the US House without a speaker? Not much, and here's why

The Republican Party’s failure to elect a speaker on Wednesday comes with a big price- a complete paralysis of the US House of Representatives and its core functioning. On Tuesday and Wednesday, multiple ballots failed to bring forward a conclusive vote for speakership-aspiring GOP leader Kevin McCarthy as the chamber stepped into the second day of the new Congress.

The GOP’s inability to elect a speaker runs a lot deeper than just the party being stripped of a leader- it places the chamber at a complete standstill. Traditionally, the post is filled on the first day of the new Congress, which then proceeds to conduct a swearing-in ceremony of members-elect. 

However, the GOP’s delay threw away all plans for incoming lawmakers, who had arrived on Tuesday with their families to pose for pictures and commence their first day at the job. Instead, the lawmakers spent multiple hours waiting as the clock ticked and the election went through several rounds of ballots, CNN reported. 

What will happen without a speaker? 

Without a speaker, House rules passed for smooth functioning by the new Congress will cease to exist, as the person who fills in the position usually monitors how those rules are adopted. Furthermore, the absence of a speaker will stop committees from paying the salaries of the staff, due to a House Rules package which must be approved by the end of business on January 13.

“Committees need to be aware that should a House Rules package not be adopted by end of business on January 13 no committee will be able to process payroll since the committee’s authority for the new Congress is not yet confirmed,” read a letter by the committee responsible for administrative affairs, according to Politico. 

Moreover, the memo also states that the inability to decide on a speaker will also impact student loan payments, which will not be disbursed if a rules package does not get adopted by the middle of January. Most importantly, the deadlock restricts a bigger role that needs to be played outside the House, i.e. standing in the line of succession as a deputy to the potential president.